Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Critic Reviews

Modern Warfare 3 is a shining example of refinement and improvement. It's familiar, sure, but here familiarity doesn't breed contempt, just respect and reward for those who've dedicated so much time to the series. And for new players, it's the perfect starting point, more accommodating and encompassing than ever...A game which is undoubtedly going to be played for a long, long time to come, and deservedly so.

The Infinity Ward engine is far from cutting edge – the overall look of the game has not moved on enormously since MW2. But the vision, the choreography, the sense of scale and detail – they are awe-inspiring at times.

Modern Warfare 3 concludes the trilogy with a solo campaign that goes beyond my expectations, and a multiplayer with subtle yet efficient revisions. It boasts better balancing and takes into account the supportive players more than ever compared to the regular solo guns blazing hero. Quite comprehensive, it also re-introduces the beloved Spec Ops mode, and the launch of Call of Duty Elite grants him the best available service in that category. Even though in terms of production values, and scope of the competitive multiplayer, Battlefield 3 harms Activision's champion, it remains a title that is firmly anchored to its traditional strengths, and doesn't get lazy. The lovers will be ecstatic, the haters gonna hate.

Call of Duty manages to raise the bar with each game that arrives year after year and Modern Warfare 3 is no exception, except this time the franchise has made a much bigger leap than it has in years past. For starters, the online game is the deepest and richest CoD multiplayer experience to date and the Spec Ops co-operative mode is worth the price of admission alone.

It's hard to believe Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has finally arrived let alone lived up to all the hype surrounding it.

Like a divorced parent trying to win the affection of an only child, the game dishes out rewards with every breath.

All of that aside the final product that is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the complete package. It has a solid, single-player campaign (which is long enough if played correctly but feel free to complain if you want); a feature-rich multiplayer mode that has new modes and will be played by millions of gamers for years to come; a great Spec-Ops mode that includes an all-new Survival gameplay mode; and is the first Call of Duty title to launch with the new Elite service, something that will become a standard in the CoD franchise for years to come.

Familiar-yet-new territory comes in the form of AC-130 missions, only these are far more robust, and desperate. You're clearing a path on-the-fly for teams on the ground, but equally switching between the two. And it's not just decimating ground forces, either. There's no arguing Infinity Ward make a chopper crash look the best in the biz, and you'll be swatting enemy helicopters from the sky like so many flies under your fly-swatter.

Overall, Infinity Ward (what's left of the original gang) and Sledgehammer Games have stayed loyal to the Call of Duty and Modern Warfare brand in the name of all their loyal fans.

Modern Warfare 3 really is the best multiplayer shooter on console right now. It's not changing the landscape of shooters - it's honing it to its sharpest point. It's a no-brainer purchase for console gamers.

Modern Warfare 3 treads familiar ground and focuses on tweaking rather than reinventing, and that's just fine. While there are no major revelations or surprises, this is still a gorgeously produced package that gives military shooter fans exactly what they want. There's a reason why Call of Duty is the most powerful videogame franchise of the modern era, and Modern Warfare 3 serves as a reminder -- it's just that damn good at what it does.

One startlingly huge, polished, and downright entertaining shooter experience. Sure, we can come up with a list of things we'd love to see from the series - whether it's a revamped campaign approach or a revitalized game engine and aesthetic - but when everything here is this well-executed and offers so many enduring thrills, it's hard to knock it too much. MW3 absolutely delivers.

Modern Warfare 3 succeeds in every area and the development teams at both Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games should be extremely proud.

The multiplayer is a cut above the rest, with a ton of options and the ability to customize a huge number of details on any of the maps you set up for Private Matches.

The multiplayer is the strongest it has ever been, and the coop mode has been expanded from an addition to a full-fledged mode. Modern Warfare 3 won't blow away anyone looking for anything new, but it will deliver enough thrills and quality to keep players engaged and coming back for more.

Looking back over this generation, it can be argued that Modern Warfare reinvented the way we play shooters, and now, Modern Warfare 3 may have come as close as we'll ever get to perfecting it. What few complaints we do have feel negligible in comparison to everything the game does right, and both the campaign and multiplayer components deliver on all fronts. If you've always been hesitant to try Call of Duty, this might be the time to jump in. It honestly doesn't get much better than this.

Modern Warfare 3 is the elite of the elite shooters.

If you're looking for a lot of ways to kill and be killed, Modern Warfare 3 is exhaustive. With almost 20 modes available there's something for just about everyone.

Big, brash, ballsy, bombastic, barmy and bloody. And of course, better than Black Ops.

Modern Warfare 3 is what the fans expected - fast paced multiplayer action with some new twists and game modes that are a definitely a fresh breeze. But there are also a great campaign and the usual challenging Spec Ops.